Taipans coach gets first-up win buzz
WHILE paying homage to the past, new coach Mike Kelly is excited about what his Taipans can achieve in the present and into the future.
After an early arm-wrestle on Saturday night in Brisbane, Kelly’s Snakes clinched the first Sunshine Stoush of season 2018-19 on the back of a starring performance from debutant import Melo Trimble.
In the process, Kelly won his opening game as head coach of the Far North club, the first mentor ever to do that, while Trimble’s 32 influential points is the most of a Taipan on debut in the club’s two decade-long history.
The former Melbourne United assistant promised a run and gun Taipans in the pre-season, which did not eventuate in the first half, but as the game pressed on and Brisbane tired, the signs were there for all to see.
“I have a lot of respect for the Taipans and what they have done in the past under Aaron Fearne and him as a coach,” Kelly said after the win.
“It is funny though, this is a brand new team.
“I want to be known as a team that competes every night and plays hard all the time, plays for each other, which I think they did tonight.
“I want to be known as a good shooting team also, so that’s going to take some work.
“I think we have the guys that compete in this league.
“I think it showed beating a tough team that just went out and beat New Zealand over there.”
While Trimble deservedly got the plaudits after his 8-13 shooting night, as well as 14-16 from the charity stripe, returning big man Nate Jawai was excellent while former NZ Breakers Rob Loe and DJ Newbill combined for 30 points.
Import point guard Trimble was the Snakes’ driver for much of the night as he added much-needed pace and enthusiasm.
Centre Jawai, in game 100 in the NBL, sparked the Snakes in the second term, throwing down a big dunk and handing out a clever assist to Newbill.
Newbill’s eight secondquarter points gave Cairns a three-point advantage at halftime.
Shooter Dexter KernichDrew pushed that out to nine early in the final term with his first triple of the season.
A Jawai tip-in with just over five minutes to play extended the Taipans advantage to double figures and they controlled the game from then on.
Cairns will now turn their attention to their home opener against Illawarra on Sunday.
Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis said his club failed to curtail the considerable influence of Trimble.